Video gaming machines also are commonly known as slot, poker or fruit machines, and provide a player with a game of chance. As is well known, in basic spinning reel slot machines the player selects the number of win lines and the number of credits to be wagered per win line per play, then sets the reels spinning by activating a play pushbutton. The reels are rotated for a certain time period then stopped at predetermined locations. If a combination of symbols on any of the win lines matches a predetermined winning combination of symbols, credits are won and can be redeemed as coins or in some other convenient form.
One of the most popular known variations is the use of a wild card, which serves as a substitute for any other symbol, and provides an extra degree of volatility to the basic game.
A problem with known gambling machines is that they lack variety and players lose interest, in particular, after repeated plays.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for the operation of gaming machines that will provide to a player greater enjoyment and excitement in play of the machines, which, in turn, provides commercially useful effects for the suppliers of the machines and operators of licensed premises.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a gaming machine including: a video display upon which a plurality of simulated spinning reels are displayed, each reel having a plurality of symbols, and at least one win line being formed by a horizontal alignment of symbols on adjacent reels, and the gaming machine being under the control of processor means such that following the play of a spinning reel game a wild card symbol can appear in one of the reels on a win line, and one or more further wild card symbols are caused to substitute in one or more other reels, and a prize is awarded for combinations of the wild card symbols and one or more of the other symbols occurring on the win line.
The invention further discloses a method for operation of a gaming machine generally as defined above in relation to operation of the processor means.
It is preferred that there are three win lines. Further, the wild cards can be caused to substitute on adjacent reels so as to be contiguous on a win line. In one embodiment there can be five reels, meaning the number of wild cards will be an original (or triggering) one, and one to four further (or expanding) ones. That is, the wild cards can substitute for every original/other symbol on a win line.
Such a methodology is commercially advantageous in that there will be increased interest by players of gaming machines promoting enjoyment for them, increased sales of machines by vendors and increased revenues for operators of licensed premises and taxing authorities such as Governments. In many licensed premises in Australia and the United States, it is almost always the case that there will be a number of gaming machines provided by different vendors, and it is a particular motivation of vendors for their gaming machines to be played over others"". This is relevant to both the income derived from the lease of the machines to the licensed premises and in seeking to ensure ongoing business with the licensed premises. It is thus a very real motivation for vendors to provide new and commercially useful game functions to attract players to their particular machines within any given licensed premises.
Practice of the invention also has the advantage that, on occurrence of a trigger wild card symbol, a prize will be awarded for at least xe2x80x9cthree of a kindxe2x80x9d.